Outstater: Holy Underwear, Let’s Make Some Policy
A FRIEND in the political science department at Taylor University argues that Indiana politicians have a spiritual problem, not a policy problem. Those of us in the policy-review business understandably have resisted this contention — until now. A weekend viewing of a classic Western parody brought me around. It was the scene in Blazing Saddles Read the full article…

Indiana at 200 (35): Riley Loved for Homespun Poetry
by Andrea Neal Today his poems are written off as the sentimental musings of a time gone by. During his life, James Whitcomb Riley ranked with Longfellow and Twain as a best-selling author, and his works were required reading in virtually every school. Many historians consider Riley our most famous Hoosier, not only for the Read the full article…

Bohanon: Inebriation, Micro-Aggression and Sensitivity
by Cecil Bohanon, Ph.D. Indiana’s public intoxication law looks like it will be overturned. That seems to me entirely appropriate — if we haven’t confounded the problem. Prior to 2012, if one’s blood alcohol content was above the legal limit, one could be arrested almost anywhere in Indiana. I recall a number of unconfirmed anecdotes Read the full article…

Backgrounder: Keeping the Crony Out of Capitalism
“Cronyism is the substitution of political influence for free markets. It comes about when government has a lot of power over private-sector decisions and when the government officials in power have great discretion over how to use it.” — David Henderson, editor of the Encyclopedia of Economics by Craig Ladwig It is the time of Read the full article…

Veterans’ Day 2014: ‘Lawyers at War’
For the use of the membership only (556 words) “All the war propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.” — George Orwell FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER the foundation’s annual Veterans’ Day essay is being written in advance of Nov. 11. As is the formerly procrastinating Read the full article…

Keating: The Parents’ Role in Career Discernment
By Maryann O. Keating, Ph.D. Stories abound of school dropouts who consequently fail to establish themselves in jobs because of parental attempts to force youngsters onto a particular career path. Less noted are young people presenting in the offices of their undergraduate advisers with no interest in a particular major and indicating that all their Read the full article…

